The world is full of girls with a deep desire of making their way in the fashion world. A world that is not always easy, full of obstacles but also of so many satisfactions and opportunities. It is a popular opinion that fashion is an elite, accessible for few already part of this reality or who have the right conaissance. Reality is different and wants anyone with this dream to succeed, with ambition, commitment and dedication.

This is precisely why we interviewed Valentina Pilloni, an Italian girl who moved from Turin to Paris after her graduation to attend a Master's program at the French Fashion Institute. With commitment and a lot of passion, only with her own strength, she managed to build the life she wanted and started her career in the fashion world as Junior Art Director at Lacoste, an internationally known brand. We interviewed her and she told us her story. This is what it means to fight for your dreams and work in the fashion world in an international and exciting city like Paris. 

Valentina, what was it like moving from Turin to Paris and changing your life? Tell us a bit about your journey

I had just graduated and I needed a radical change of pace. Having already lived in Milan I thought it was not too different, so I decided to move to Paris in 2020, in the middle of a pandemic. The energy of the city was a vibe: you quickly realize how infinitely small you are but at the same time also infinitely big. Paris is a city you hate and love, full of influences, incredible people, and strong experiences, but at the same time, it is very chaotic and stressful. I often feel the need to take a break from here and go somewhere else every now and then. 

You work now as Junior Art Director for Lacoste, how is working for an international brand and what does it mean for a young woman like you to have got so far?
Actually, when you asked me to do this interview you surprised me, I don't think I'm up to it at all, despite the experiences I've had over the years. I worked for a while as an Art Director and Graphic Freelancer and after my master's degree at IFM in Paris, I started this internship here at Lacoste. If I had to give it a definition, I would say unexpected, challenging and fun. I'm very proud of my path but I don't consider myself to have arrived at all, it's just the beginning.

Tell us about your typical workday at Lacoste and what you do specifically.
The workdays here are different from one another, I don't think I've ever lived the same workday twice. Lacoste is a brand that really produces many shoots, it goes without saying that every week there is something different to do. I specifically work alongside the Senior Art Director. I was very lucky because I found a leading figure who gives me a lot of freedom and confidence and he's a super stimulating person. At the moment we share the shoots, specifically, I develop concepts, and moodboards... to sum up, I control the whole creative process and the follow-up of the project.

How would you define the current fashion scene in Paris?
Changing, and always very eventful. From the outside, it’s not easy to really grasp the large amount of talent Paris encloses, Probably because people mainly focus on big brands. Having the chance of being here for a while gives you a sense of how much this city is full of animated minds. Paris is full of ideas and especially dreams, you better get into the rhythm to keep up. 

In addition to fashion, you also love music and photography, what inspires you and how do you manage to bring this all together in your work? 

Music has always inspired me since I was little, I spend all my days listening to it. It could sound like clichés, but it has really saved my life. More than simple inspiration, music is a companion that often gives me good advice. I consider photography a hobby, I really enjoy having a digital camera with me all the time and taking pictures of my friends and the people I love. Both of these things flow into my work perhaps unconsciously, partly because they are actually a part of it, and partly because I devote myself to the art direction of projects.

What was it like to join this world and what is it like to make your way as a young woman in the fashion world, which is not always easy? What are your dreams and ambitions? 

I'm just starting out, so I don’t have a mature opinion yet, but in my opinion, the only key to making your way is to have a lot of ambition and to be surrounded by the right people who will protect your energy and nurture it. The fashion world, like any artistic world, is tough, but really the hardest thing is to gain self-confidence. It is more dangerous to self-sabotage than to be sabotaged. My biggest ambition at the moment is to be able to channel all my passions into my work and surround myself with things I love, but I think I'm on the right track, more of a plan perhaps than an ambition.